Some Cancers Just Grow Really, Really Slowly!
You (or your loved one) was just diagnosed with prostate cancer. You are searching the Internet (and found this site), and you find out that it may not be as terrible as you thought. Not all prostate cancer needs surgery or immediate treatment.
But while not all prostate cancer is lethal, some prostate cancer is. As with anything else in life, knowledge is power, and Dr. Rich Bevan-Thomas wants you armed to the teeth with knowledge about your disease process (if you’ll pardon the cliche!). If you feel comfortable about your Gleason score, keep reading. If not, follow this page and come back to find out if you may be a candidate for active surveillance.
So Gleason Grade 3 Prostate Cancer Really Does Grow Slowly?
Are All Gleason 3 Cancers That Slow-growing?
Gleason 3 And My Genetic Test Indicate That I'm Low-risk, So Am I Done Here?
Not exactly. It is still important to monitor your prostate cancer. Yes, it is true that low-grade cancers grow slowly, and it is helpful to have a genetic evaluation, but there is always the possibility that there is a higher-grade cancer lurking nearby.This is exactly why Dr. B-T recommends a prostate MRI at some point within three to six months either before or after your prostate cancer diagnosis.
Prostate MRIs are not foolproof, but they have a roughly 85% chance of finding a higher-grade cancer if it is present in the prostate. Dr. B-T performs prostate MRIs in addition to prostate biopsies every one to three years to ensure that patients continue to remain good candidates for active surveillance.
Most importantly, he will also follow PSA closely, but unless a PSA jumps above 10, or if it doubles, it does not give us much information about your prostate cancer. Dr. B-T will still follow the PSA, but he will be looking for big swings. Try not to get PSA anxiety because the PSA goes up or down. The biopsies and the MRI will give us the most information about the state of your prostate and whether a new, higher-grade lesion has developed.
What If I'm Nervous About Following My Cancer?
It is completely understandable to be concerned about simply following cancer. Remember, though, that not all prostate cancer behaves the same. The intermediate- and higher-grade disease grows faster and can spread outside of the prostate and into the lymph nodes and bones.
Most patients with intermediate — and certainly patients with higher-grade — cancers are not good candidates for active surveillance. The risk of the cancer growing is higher in these patients, and early intervention is usually a better option.
Active surveillance is not forgetting about the cancer; it’s monitoring it to make sure we don’t see any changes. Dr. B-T follows a protocol that requires an MRI and repeat prostate biopsy within the first year after the diagnosis and then every one to three years thereafter. This is primarily to look for other cancers that may be present. Dr. Rich Bevan-Thomas is rarely worried about the Gleason 3 cancer (assuming it does not have aggressive features), but he is worried about the Gleason 4 or 5 disease that could be lurking nearby in other areas of the prostate.
What If I Want To Treat My Cancer?
With some men, even though they have low-grade prostate cancer, the anxiety associated with following the cancer outweighs the benefits of not treating the disease. You will have the option to treat your cancer at any time. Some men opt to treat their cancer earlier in the process for peace of mind or when they are younger and are still candidates for a robotic prostatectomy, as an example.
Either way, Dr. Rich Bevan-Thomas will sit down with you and your loved ones and explain all of the options and the associated risks and benefits to help you make the best decision for your individual cancer.
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Summary
If you have not yet met with Dr. Rich Bevan-Thomas about your cancer, click on the button below to make an appointment today.
